Enzo Maresca fires back at Wayne Rooney after eye-catching Chelsea warning

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been criticised by Wayne Rooney for continuing to heavily rotate his side in both the Premier League and Champions League this season

Enzo Maresca has vowed to continue rotating his Chelsea squad, despite Wayne Rooney warning that his players “won’t be happy”. Maresca’s chopping and changing has become a talking point after Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by Qarabag in the Champions League.

The Chelsea boss made seven changes to the side which started in Azerbaijan on Wednesday night. His tinkering didn’t pay off, with the home side earning a deserved point as Blues defender Jorrel Hato, in particular, endured a difficult night.

But there was also a reminder of why Maresca is dead set on his approach, with midfielder Romeo Lavia forced off injured. Chelsea have made 85 changes so far this season, 16 more than Liverpool, while Arsenal are third of Premier League clubs on 67.

Mirror Football understands that Maresca’s approach has the full backing of the club hierarchy, with the team sitting seventh in the Premier League – albeit just two points off second – ahead of facing bottom side Wolves on Saturday.

Asked about Rooney’s comments in his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “I said already many times, we are in a moment, in an era where anyone can say what they want, it's correct, I completely respect, but I also said after the Qarabag game, that since I joined the club, it's also my view to rotate players, and no-one complained in the moment that you don't win a game.

“I can understand that no-one disagreed. I think that when the rotation is Andrey Santos, Brazil international player, Jorrel Hato, Holland international player, Estevao Willian, Brazil international player, it's not about rotation.

“They are good, they are talented, they are young, and for sure when they are young, you have to give them the chance to make some mistakes, to be better. The same thing I think happened in the past with Josh Acheampong. But again, I understand that when you don't win a game, the problem is the rotation or defending.”

Rooney believes that Chelsea’s senior players won’t be pleased to be rotated. Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show he said: “The players want to play, they want to build relationships. When you keep chopping and changing then the players won't be happy.

“I think that will come back to bite them. If they are getting results all the time then you can't question it but if they're not, there has to be questions asked.

“I think most clubs now have a leadership group and as a group you have to go and question the manager. You hear people talk about 'player power' but this isn't player power. I'd be concerned if the team kept changing. If I was in that [leadership] group I'd be speaking to my team-mates saying 'Look, I'm not happy with this'.”